Since I'm Not Hungover Yet...

I have my own thoughts on AI and so I thought I'd vent a little about...yeah, whatever, I completely agree with Tragic - AI vs. Nash is no comparison, at least not these days, and even if it's not a fair comparison (I'd argue they play different positions), the fact is that Steve-O is a better basketball player.

Instead I want to talk about the (Paul Pierce-less) Boston Celtics - really - who by coincidence I've seen play twice this week (in person against the Clips Wednesday and on local cable against the Warriors last night).

1. The Celtics are a terrible team. They've been without Pierce for four games now and have lost all four. (With Pierce they were 10-14, which somehow isn't awful in the East. Had they won their last four they'd top the Atlantic.)
2. They make themselves a terrible team. Let me rephrase: Doc Rivers makes them a terrible team. This is a fact. In recent memory I've never seen a coach more apathetic towards winning. The Celtics are at present two games out of first in the Atlantic. Down by 10 with two minutes to go last night, Rivers pulled his best players out of the game. He subs when he shouldn't, plays players he shouldn't (see: Scalabrine, Brian; Perkins, Kendrick), fails to stop runs - on the road - with timeouts. He's mostly clueless, sure, but also seems unable to decide whether he should be tutoring or coaching, which means either he didn't get the memo from management or else there wasn't one - a problem however sliced.
3. Doc's team is talented and young. Sebastian Telfair is as quick as any player in the league - he just needs to get a bit stronger and be more consistent with his jump shot. (The Blazers, inexplicably so far, passed on Chris Paul and Deron Williams because they had Telfair.) Delonte West can shoot - and already makes good decisions. Tony Allen and Gerald Green are amazing athletes - and Green, drafted straight from high school two years ago, makes threes. Al Jefferson, worthless last year, is looking pretty good now - he's undersized but comfortable and quick in the post, and an intuitive rebounder. With a mid-range jumper and more consistency at the line (he was 6-7 last night, 2-5 on Wednesday), Jefferson will be 20-10 for life.
4. Wally Szczerbiak is completely worthless. Sure he's coming back from injury but I've never seen a player less concerned about a game's outcome and more concerned with getting his - and with his appearance - than Wally. Really, a true gunner who makes Corey Maggette look like Alonzo Mourning on defense. The second best moment of my Wednesday evening was delightfully chorusing "You suck Szczerbiak" as the Mole Man chucked up jumper after jumper in garbage time (he was 2-8 against the Clippers and followed with a 3-17 performance last night against the Warriors). That moment was topped only by...
5. Michael Olowokandi, total douchebag. Yes, it was amusing that the "Clippers Fans" booed The Kandi Man when he entered the game and every time he touched the ball thereafter. However, were I one of them I'd find less humor in the fact that my team passed on Mike Bibby to draft the dead weight that is Olowokandi.

So there you have it. Was that interesting? Not really. Am I a better person for writing it? Of course. Which brings me to my New Year’s resolutions: Along with being a better lover, I’ll blog more. You happy Tragic?

Looking forward to 2007,

The Gumbels